The Childe (25 page)

There was no time to think about the next race as she had minutes until it started. At least Kirsten was at the farthest lane away from her. Focusing on the opposite wall, Cat heard the signal and dove into the pool. The water rushed over her, her arms and legs were as one as they propelled her down the lane. Reaching the wall, she quickly turned and pushed off with all of her strength. She heard the roar of the crowd, as she came up for air. Seeing her goal inching closer and closer, Cat stretched out her arms smacking the wall in front of her. Gasping for air, she saw Coach Hutchins’s face above her, her brilliant smile told her she must’ve done really well. “Colvin, you beat the state record! Well done, young lady!” Cat bent her head and took a deep breath. When she looked up again, a hand reached down to pull her out of the pool, it was Taylor. He grabbed her, swinging her around, not caring about his clothes getting wet.

“Way to go Red Freak! I knew you could do it!” “Thanks Taylor!” Cat choked out, amazed at her big brother breaking his cool, reserved attitude to celebrate her accomplishment. Everyone she loved surrounded her, yelling, screaming and she finally found her mom’s face. “I love you!” Rachel yelled as she lost sight of her in the crowd.

Ryan stood in a dark corner by the bleachers near the exit. Before her first event he saw Cat glancing at the crowd periodically like she was looking for someone. He hoped that the person was him, but after the way he’d been acting lately he doubted it. He’d held his breath during the last race. His eyes focused only on her, not yelling with the rest of the crowd. He was relieved when it was finally over and she had won. He wanted to be the one to pull her out of the pool. He wanted to be the first to congratulate her, but he knew he could only watch from the sidelines. After all he was only her tutor.

Rachel looked at the clock in the kitchen, tired from the excitement of the day. The house had been overrun with friends and family celebrating Cat’s wins. Sam entered the kitchen and grabbed Rachel around the waist startling her. “Boy I’m bushed, let’s try and get some sleep shall we.” Walking up the stairway they heard noises coming from the attic.

“I think I’ll go check on our champion,” Rachel said giving Sam a kiss on his cheek.

“Don’t be too long, I’ll probably fall asleep before I make it to the bed,” he joked as he made his way to their room. Laughing, she climbed the attic stairs and knocked on Cat’s door. The door creaked open. Rachel entered the room not seeing Cat until she sprung up from the side of her bed.

“Young lady, what were you doing?” she asked, studying Cat’s frowning face.

“I’m looking for a little brown book that I’ve apparently misplaced. I can’t seem to find it anywhere,” Cat huffed in frustration.

“Well, I think you can wait until tomorrow to look. It’s late and you need your rest,” she said, biting her lip.

Why is she biting her lip? What is she nervous about?
Cat thought to herself.

Rachel noticed Cat staring at her and realized she was biting her lip.
Great! I might as well have just admitted that we took the journal and hid it because we didn’t want her to read it!
She thought. “Come on time for bed,” Rachel announced cheerfully pulling back Cat’s covers and tucking her in. “Night sweetheart,” she said kissing her forehead and then quickly left the room.

“What was that all about?” Cat asked out loud looking to the ceiling.

12

Winter Solstice

Why did she come this way? It was quiet and isolated. The only sound she heard was the wind moving through the trees. She felt so alone. The winter sun began to set and the snow crunched beneath her every step. Wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm, she buried her face under her pink scarf. Peering through it, she watched the ground for obstacles she might trip over. If only she had stayed on the street. Yes it would’ve taken longer to get home, but at least there would have been traffic and other people. A loud rustling behind her made her stop. Spinning around and seeing only shadows of the tall trees and bushes she kept walking. “Get a grip on yourself. There’s nothing there. Just keep moving,” she said out loud. Her mom and dad would be home by now, starting dinner. If only she hadn’t fought with her boyfriend and stubbornly refused to get in the car with him, she would be warm right now and almost home. The sound of footsteps behind her made her turn quickly. In the distance she noticed a dark figure moving toward her. Thinking it was her boyfriend she yelled, “Kevin, I‘m not in the mood for this right now, leave me alone!” The figure continued to get closer, not saying a word. “Kevin! This isn’t funny! Quit it!” Her voice sounded wobbly and unsure. The figure picked up speed and leapt into the air, disappearing into the tree tops above her. Fear overcame her. She tried to run. Large snow drifts made it difficult for her to move quickly. She could hear something above her, leaping from tree to tree, breaking branches and causing them to fall to the ground around her. “Somebody help me! Please!” she screamed breathlessly. A large branch fell in her path causing her trip and tumble over it. She cried out again. Then the woods went silent. Nothing moved. She was gone.

Cat couldn’t wait for school to end and Christmas break to begin. She was making great strides in Math and because of her performance at regionals she became the talk of the school. It seemed like the fainting incident at the Masquerade Ball was a distant memory. The football team had made it to the state semi-finals, so Taylor had been in an exceptionally good mood during the last month. He even drove Cat and Julie to school every day without complaint. He was also in love. At dinner, nearly every sentence had Trish’s name in it. Sam and Rachel would smile at each other, reminiscing how they acted at his age.

“So, have you all heard the latest gossip about Miss Kirsten Fuller’s alleged cramp? That
apparently
cost her the swim meet? Amanda asked using air quotations. “I guess it’s actually more serious than we thought. Rumor is, the doc told her she had to be on those crutches for a few more weeks,” she said trying not to giggle.

“Give me a break!” Matt piped up. “Everyone knows she’s faking. She just can’t handle the fact that our little Cat beat her record. She needs to just act like the girl she is, and admit her defeat!” Pretending to be offended, Amanda threw a movie magazine at his head.

“Thanks Amanda, I haven’t read this one,” Matt said grinning and thumbing through the pages.

“So Cat, how do you feel about not being Kirsten’s BFF anymore? Devastated, I’m sure,” Julie chimed in.

“Well Julie, I’ve been feeling a little down lately, but I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I’ll have to settle…for you guys instead,” she replied sighing dramatically with the back of her hand pressed to her forehead.

Elle stood in front of Cat’s full length mirror. “Do you think I’ve put on weight? I think I have,” she said answering her own question.

“Yeah, you have. I noticed yesterday when you had those tight jeans on,” Cat commented looking at her. Elle beamed smiling broadly. Her goal this year was to put some meat on her skinny frame. She hated that her metabolism was so high, and that everything she ate just melted away.

“I wish I had your problem Elle,” groaned Amanda flinging herself on Cat’s bed.

“Elle you should be happy you’re slim and can eat anything and everything. I just look at a brownie and gain ten pounds,” Julie sighed.

Matt, reclining on Cat’s floor pillows, looked up from his reading. “I just don’t get you women. All you ever worry about is your weight. Okay except for Cat, she doesn’t complain…that much. But, hey guys, look on the bright side, you could all be ugly.” Cat laughed as her three female friends picked up throw pillows from her bed and tossed them at him.

“Matt I think you better keep quiet,” Cat said laughing again. “Hey, what’s that on the back cover?” she asked pointing at the magazine. “Oh, my, gosh! It’s an ad for the new Robert Craven movie coming out in the spring!
Darkness Awakes!”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see that one!” Amanda exclaimed grabbing the magazine from Matt. Everyone huddled around her looking over her shoulder at the magazine. “Wow, look who’s in it! I think I’m going to faint! I absolutely, positively think he’s the hottest!” she screamed.

“He’s to die for! He’s a God! Not!” Matt responded sarcastically rolling his eyes dramatically.

“I’m so glad we made a pact to see the movies first and then read the books. It makes the movies totes scarier,” Amanda said.

“Reading the books after was meh! Don’t get me wrong, Craven’s an awesome writer but the books were just like the movies. I should’ve just watched the movie again, or read the cliff notes,” Matt interjected.

“Hey Matt, won’t you be driving by then?” Julie asked.

“Oh yeah, that’s right. We could go in my wheels,” he replied.

“What wheels? Your ten speed bike?” Amanda inquired, playfully pushing him.

“No. I have it on good authority that for my birthday, the parentals are giving me the old red Corvette in the garage. It’s supposed to be a secret. But I overheard them talking when they thought I wasn’t home,” Matt said with a mischievous grin.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Amanda quipped.

“Wait, isn’t the Corvette a two-seater? How will you be able to chauffer us around in that?” Cat asked.

“Ah come on, we could all just cram in,” Matt replied jokingly.